Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Electric Scooters: Sales

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many inspections Trading Standards have made of retailers selling private e-scooters in the last 12 months.

Lord Callanan: BEIS does not hold this information. Trading Standards services are provided by local authorities who operate independently from central government and are therefore responsible for their own enforcement activity and are accountable to their local electorate.

Small Businesses: Ethnic Groups

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government what statistics they collate on ethnicity in small and medium sized enterprises; and if they collate any such statistics, what are the numbers by ethnicity of (1) staff, and (2) owners, of small and medium sized enterprises, by sector, according to the most recent figures.

Lord Callanan: The Longitudinal Small Business 2020 Survey reported that 5% of SME employers were minority ethnic group led (MEG-led), defined as having a person in sole control of the business or having a management team with at least half of its members from ethnic minority groups. MEG-led SME employers were more likely in information and communication (9%), accommodation and food (7%) sectors and less likely in primary (0%) and education sectors (1%). Further reported about 4% of businesses with no employees were MEG-led. MEG-led businesses were most likely to be in the transport and storage (7%), information and communications and health (both 6%) sectors, and least likely in primary, education and accommodation and food services sectors (all 1%).  Further details can be found on the GOV.UK website. Data for 2021 will be published in August 2022.

Media: Copyright

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the financial impact on the UK news media sector of the decision to expand the text and data mining copyright exception.

Lord Callanan: The Government asked specific questions about impact in the consultation on AI and IP, but received very limited quantitative evidence. An impact assessment will be published alongside the legislation when laid. The proposed exception will be targeted to limit negative impacts, and the government welcomes further evidence from rights holders on how to best achieve this.

Artificial Intelligence: Copyright

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many respondents to the Intellectual Property Office consultationArtificial Intelligence and IP: Copyright and Patentsgave a first preference to Option 4 regarding expanding the text and data mining exception.

Lord Callanan: Of the responses to the consultation on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property, 16 indicated that option 4 for a broad text and data mining exception was their preferred option; their joint-preferred option; or one of the preferred options within a mixed membership. 3 had a general preference for an exception, 17 preferred another type of data mining exception, 21 preferred no change, and 20 preferred changes to licensing.

Sizewell C Power Station

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government which minister from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will be making the decision as to whether Sizewell C will be granted a Development Consent Order.

Lord Callanan: The decision on the application for development consent for Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station was announced on 20 July 2022. The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Paul Scully took the decision on behalf of the Secretary of State who had confirmed that his delegation of the decision-making powers to Minister Scully in respect of the Sizewell C application should continue, notwithstanding Minister Scully’s move to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Companies: Telephone Services

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will lay regulations to update the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to give regulators such as Ofgem, the Financial Conduct Authority, and Ofcom, the power to fine firms who do not answer the telephone to customers within 10 minutes.

Lord Callanan: The Government expects all firms to treat their customers fairly at all times. Business should be free to compete on matters such as price, quality and service. Provided consumers are not misled and able to make informed decisions, companies offering goods and services are free to offer their products and services under conditions of their choosing. The Government has no plans to amend the Consumer Rights Act 2015 on this issue.

Energy: Private Rented Housing

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on (1) household energy bills, (2) UK gas consumption, and (3) carbon emissions, of raising Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in private rented homes to Energy Performance Certificate Band C.

Lord Callanan: In the consultation on improving the energy efficiency performance of privately rented homes in England and Wales, the preferred policy proposal would deliver energy bill savings of £220 a year on average by 2028. It would lower energy demand on the grid and support the transition to low-carbon heating, delivering ~6.1 MtCO2e of savings for Carbon Budget 5. These figures were published in the consultation, thus the energy bill savings do not reflect the current energy prices.

Heat Pumps

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they define a smart heat pump; what plans they have to introduce support for consumers to purchase smart heat pumps; and when they plan for any such support to be introduced.

Lord Callanan: The Government is currently consulting on proposals to mandate smart functionality for specific electric heating appliances, including heat pumps, from 2025. For the purpose of the smart mandate, a smart heat pump is defined as communications-enabled and capable of responding automatically to incentive signals (such as price) and/or other more direct control signals by shifting or modulating its electricity consumption. Consumers can use existing support schemes, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, to install a smart heat pump and the consultation is seeking views on what further action may be needed to ensure all consumers can benefit from smart heating.

Shipbuilding: Finance

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme.

Lord Callanan: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working with partners to introduce a Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme, which is now in the final stages of development.

Energy: Private Rented Housing

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish a response to their consultation Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, which closed on 8 January 2021.

Lord Callanan: We have carefully analysed the responses received to the consultation on Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, and we will publish a Government Response in due course.

Housing: Heat Pumps

Baroness Meacher: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) cost, and (2) feasibility, of electricity network reinforcement to support heat pump roll out plans by (a) 2028, (b) 2040, and (c) 2050; and whether they will publish that assessment.

Lord Callanan: Ofgem uses the price control framework to ensure that electricity network companies are provided with the necessary funding to deliver the required capacity to meet future demand on the grid, including to support the roll out of heat pumps. Government liaises regularly with Ofgem and industry, including network operators, on this issue.

Heat Pumps: Imports

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect UK manufacturers from cheap imported heat pumps as a result of their proposed market-based mechanism for low carbon heat.

Lord Callanan: The Government is putting in place a package of measures to build a globally competitive UK heat pump manufacturing sector. This includes policies to help build demand for heat pumps, like the £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme, as well as those that incentivise inward investment in the supply chain, such as the Super Deduction Capital Allowance Scheme and the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator Competition. There has already been significant investment in the UK heat pump supply chain over the past 12 months from companies like Mitsubishi, Octopus Energy, Vaillant and Ideal Heating, and we expect this growth to continue.

Copyright

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conformity oftheir proposed expansion of the text and data mining copyright exception with their wider policies on the UK copyright framework; and what plans they have, if any, to amend these wider policies to reflect this decision.

Lord Callanan: An effective intellectual property system is a fundamental driver for creativity and innovation and is central to a modern, vibrant economy. Any reforms to UK copyright law aim to effectively balance the copyright framework for both rights holders and users and comply with our international obligations. The Government reviews aspects of copyright law, when appropriate, in light of its priorities. The decision on text and data mining followed one such review. We do not plan to consequently amend wider policies or to conduct a wider review of copyright law.

Heat Pumps

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to require the companies involved in the Hydrogen Village Trial to conduct whole-house assessments of the upgrades required to make a house suitable for a heat pump.

Lord Callanan: Companies involved in planning the Village Trial will complete detailed property surveys in the proposed trial locations. The surveys will be used to assess suitability for hydrogen conversion or for an alternative heating system for consumers who do not wish to or cannot participate in the trial.

Sizewell C Power Station

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to make a decision on (1) whether to grant Sizewell C a Development Consent Order, or (2) any commitment of public investment in Sizewell C, before the appointment of a new Prime Minister; and what assessment they have made of the conformity of any such decisions with the Prime Minister’s statement to Cabinet on 6 July that major fiscal decisions should be left for the next Prime Minister.

Lord Callanan: The Secretary of State granted development consent for the Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station on July 20th 2022, after thorough consideration of all relevant information. Commercial negotiations on the project are strictly separate from consideration of the application for development consent. To date these negotiations have been constructive, but are ongoing and no decisions have been made.

Photography: Copyright

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the financial impact on the UK professional photography sector of the decision to expand the text and data mining copyright exception.

Lord Callanan: The Government asked specific questions about impact in the consultation on AI and IP, but received very limited quantitative evidence. An impact assessment will be published alongside the legislation when laid. The proposed exception will be targeted to limit negative impacts, and the government welcomes further evidence from rights holders on how to best achieve this.

Private Rented Housing: Energy Bills Rebate

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how private tenants who pay their council tax or energy bills as part of their rent will be able to claim their energy bills support grant if (1) their rent has already risen thisyear, and (2) it has not already risen this year.

Lord Callanan: There are rules which can protect tenants and ensure they receive the benefit of this policy. A copy of Ofgem’s guidance on how to ensure customers are being charged no more than they should when they buy the electricity through their landlord, including what to do if they think there has been a mistake, is attached.HL1873 Resale of gas and electricity (pdf, 354.6KB)

Natural Gas: Kurds

Lord Austin of Dudley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the potential for gas from the Kurdistan region to diversify the supply of gas to the UK.

Lord Callanan: Great Britain has highly diverse sources of gas supply. These include pipelines from the UK and Norwegian continental shelves (UKCS & NCS), interconnection with the European continent, and three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals, providing the UK with one of the largest LNG import infrastructures in Europe. The UK’s diverse range of sources of gas supply is a strength to the Government’s approach to energy security. The integrated nature of the global gas market, and the fact that it is an internationally traded commodity, ensures that the UK continues to work closely with all its international partners.

Trade Agreements

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their decision to expand the text and data mining exception on future trade negotiations; and in particular, with regard to upholding the UK intellectual property framework internationally.

Lord Callanan: The Government supports an effective international intellectual property framework which supports creative and innovative businesses at home and abroad. The UK has recently agreed trade deals with countries including Japan, Australia and New Zealand which commit them to higher standards on copyright. We will continue to advocate for and uphold high international standards for intellectual property, and any reforms to UK copyright law will comply with our international obligations.

Publishing: Copyright

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the financial impact on the UK professional publishing industry of the decision to expand the text and data mining copyright exception.

Lord Callanan: The Government asked specific questions about impact in the consultation on AI and IP, but received very limited quantitative evidence. An impact assessment will be published alongside the legislation when laid. The proposed exception will be targeted to limit negative impacts, and the government welcomes further evidence from rights holders on how to best achieve this.

Housing: Heat Pumps

Baroness Meacher: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish performance data from the Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project.

Lord Callanan: The Government intends to publish the performance data from the Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project in due course, once quality assurance of the data has been completed.

Department of Health and Social Care

Temperature: Health Hazards

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the (1) UK Health Security Agency, and (2) NHS, are monitoring heat-related illnesses; and how other government departments are assessing the broader impacts of the hot weather on public services.

Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) coordinates national syndromic surveillance of public health indicators for heat-related illnesses in individuals presenting to the National Health Service. This includes calls to NHS 111 and the ambulance service; online assessments; accident and emergency attendances; and general practitioner consultations.The UKHSA supports the cross-Government response by providing information on impacts observed across the health system due to high temperatures. This provides advice to Government agencies at regular Ministerial meetings to co-ordinate the response and improve preparedness for future events. In addition, UKHSA publishes an online annual heat mortality report following each summer, which shows the impacts over a continuous period.

Primary Health Care

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given todeveloping a self-care strategy.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of self-care in helping to relieve pressures faced by primary care settings, such as GP practices.

Lord Kamall: There are no plans to introduce a self-care strategy. All community pharmacies in England delivering NHS services provide support for self-care, including for minor ailments. This can include provision of advice, information and, where appropriate, the sale of medicines to patients and carers. Through the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service, general practitioners and NHS 111 can refer patients to community pharmacists for advice on and treatment of minor illnesses. In addition, general practices are contractually required to provide online self-care information.

Monkeypox: Disease Control

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to respond to the monkeypox outbreak.

Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is working with the National Health Service and the public health agencies in the four nations to prevent onward transmission of monkeypox virus. The UKHSA is raising awareness of the outbreak with the public, including advice on symptoms and how to access the appropriate treatment options.The UKHSA recommends that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men at higher risk of exposure to monkeypox should be offered a dose of a smallpox vaccine, such as Imvanex. Vaccines are also offered to those most likely to be exposed to monkeypox including healthcare workers and close contacts of those infected.

Monkeypox: Greater London

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take in response to 71 per cent of monkeypox cases being concentrated in London.

Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is working with the National Health Service and sexual health, voluntary and community sector organisations in London to share accurate information on the outbreak with those at increased risk and prevent onward transmission of the virus. The UKHSA is raising awareness and advising the public on symptoms and how to access the appropriate treatment options.Vaccines are being offered to gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men considered to be at higher risk of exposure to monkeypox. Vaccines are also offered to those most likely to be exposed to monkeypox, including healthcare workers and close contacts of those infected. The UKHSA has provided approximately 8,000 doses of the Imvanex vaccine to sites in London and continues to conduct outreach work.

Ophthalmic Services: Special Educational Needs

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 11 July (HL1271), how many children attending day special schools access eye tests through the domiciliary scheme.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Cystic Fibrosis: Mental Health Services and Social Workers

Baroness Jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the averagewaiting time for (1) paediatric, and (2) adult, cystic fibrosis patients in England referred to a (a) clinical psychologist, and (b) social worker, for each year since 2015.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not held centrally.

Medical Records: Gender Recognition

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Kamall on 24 May (HL476 and HL475), how medical professionals are held to account for any negative consequences that arise from how they have recorded a patient’s gender.

Lord Kamall: All regulated healthcare professionals are required to register with the relevant professional regulator, such as the General Medical Council, in order to practice in the United Kingdom. These regulators determine the standards which registered professionals must meet and the professional values, knowledge, skills and behaviours required. Regulators are independent bodies and can take action to restrict the practise of healthcare professionals who fail to meet the expected standards.

Macular Degeneration: Medical Treatments

Lord Low of Dalston: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase NHS capacity to deliver intravitreal injections to accommodate the prospective, novel treatment of geographic atrophy.

Lord Kamall: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is currently supporting clinical trials for a number of medicines relating to geographic atrophy, including intravitreal injections. It will review the quality, safety and efficacy of these products should the manufacturers apply for licenses.All new licensed medicines are subsequently appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and guidance issued to the National Health Service. In the absence of NICE’s guidance, local commissioners should consider the available evidence when determining funding for new treatments and the capacity of the local NHS to deliver the service.

Gender Recognition

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Kamall on 24 May (HL476 and HL475), what assessment they have made of the (1) clarity, and (2) inclusivity, of using the language “people with cervixes” in the Gender Identity Toolkit for General Practice.

Lord Kamall: No specific assessment has been made. The Toolkit is made available by the Institute of General Practice Management, Indigo Gender Service, Practice Index and Pride in Practice. It is designed to improve the knowledge of general practice teams when providing inclusive and equitable care to transgender and non-binary patients.

Medical Records: Gender Recognition

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Kamall on 24 May (HL476 and HL475), what assessment they have made of the risks to (1) patients, and (2) medical professionals, that might arise as a result of the policy on recording gender set out in the Gender Identity Toolkit for General Practice.

Lord Kamall: No formal risk assessment has been made.

Health Professions: Dermatology

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address shortages in the dermatology workforce in England; and what assessment they have made of the potential role of (1) tele-dermatology for diagnostic support and triage, (2) GPs, (3) nurses, and (4) pharmacists, in increasing capacity for treatment and monitoring of skin disorder.

Lord Kamall: Following the 2021 Spending Review, we are increasing the number training posts in dermatology in England  by 15, with doctors in postgraduate training in post from August 2022. The National Health Service is also ensuring that patients can access specialist care through dermatology outpatient services. This focuses on a personalised approach for patients waiting for outpatient appointments, improving waiting times and offering choice for patients at the point of referral. Pharmacies can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for many skin conditions and where appropriate pharmacists can advise the patient to consult a general practitioner (GP), nurse or other healthcare professional. Many dermatology departments in England now offer a rapid access Teledermatology Advice and Guidance service for GPs to seek advice from a specialist prior to a referral being made. The use of technology, such as digital images, reduces unnecessary face-to-face appointments and provides flexibility for patients when booking outpatient appointments. A Teledermatology Roadmap for 2020-21 v1.0 provides recommendations on optimising teledermatology triage and specialist advice, including establishing a working group of multidisciplinary clinical leads and other stakeholders. A copy of the Roadmap is attached. The two-week wait skin cancer pathway: innovative approaches to support early diagnosis of skin cancer as part of the NHS COVID-19 recovery plan also includes a new virtual pathway using teledermatology. A copy of the guidance for the skin cancer pathway is attached.A Teledermatology Roadmap for 2020-21 v1.0 (pdf, 193.3KB)The two-week wait skin cancer pathway: innovative  (pdf, 228.1KB)

Department for Education

Teachers: Recruitment

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government hat assessment they have made of whether initial teacher training (ITT) applications this year, particularly for (1) physics, (2) computing, and (3) modern languages, are sufficient for secondary school recruitment requirements; whether they estimate an increase in the shortage of qualified teachers; and if so, what steps they are taking to address the shortage.

Baroness Barran: Departmental targets, as estimated by the Teacher Workforce Model (TWM), are for 20,945 secondary teacher trainees to start their initial teacher training (ITT) in autumn 2022 (including high performance ITT (HPITT) trainees)[1]. Currently, there have been 10,106 acceptances to postgraduate secondary courses in England, (excluding HPITT acceptances)[2].The computing TWM trainee target is 1,145 (including HPITT) and currently there have been 264 acceptances (excluding HPITT).The modern foreign languages TWM trainee target is 2,140 (including HPITT) and currently there have been 618 acceptances (excluding HPITT).The physics TWM trainee target is 2,610 (including HPITT) and currently there have been 361 acceptances (excluding HPITT).The department has put in place a range of measures for trainees in 2021 and 2022, including bursaries worth up to £24,000 and scholarships worth up to £26,000, to encourage talented trainees to apply to train in key subjects such as chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. The department is offering a £15,000 bursary in design and technology, geography, and languages, including ancient languages, and a £10,000 bursary for biology trainees.The department is exploring new ways to recruit trainee teachers in subjects where there is a shortage. For example, we will introduce a new scholarship to attract the most talented language graduates to the profession. We are also piloting a new ITT course designed to support more engineers to teach physics. The course is being delivered by six providers, each of whom have been supported with grant funding from the department.To make teaching here even more attractive to the best teachers from around the world, the department will introduce a new relocation premium to help with visas and other expenses.  [1] Postgraduate initial teacher training targets: 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)[2] Acceptances- up to 20th June 2022 excluding HPITT (sum of recruited and pending conditions), Initial teacher training application statistics for courses starting in the 2022 to 2023 academic year - Apply for teacher training - GOV.UK (apply-for-teacher-training.service.gov.uk)

Arts: Education

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the article 'News & campaigns' in the Incorporated Society of Musicians July/August 2022 music journal; and what assessment they have made of the concerns expressed in that articlethat the Schools White Paper "suggests apossible narrowing of focus away from creative subjects such as music".

Baroness Barran: The department is grateful to the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) for providing us with a copy of this issue of the Music Journal, which we understand is normally made available solely to its members.Whilst the department acknowledges that there are challenges to delivering high quality music education in every school, schools the length and breadth of the country are doing just that. The White Paper is clear that ‘as part of a richer school week, all children should be entitled to take part in sport, music and cultural opportunities and that these opportunities are an essential part of a broad and ambitious curriculum’, a point that the ISM itself acknowledged in its response to the White Paper.The department was pleased to note that the ISM has welcomed the refreshed National Plan for Music Education, which we published in June 2022 and in particular its restatement of the importance of music as an essential part of a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils.

Ministry of Justice

Life Imprisonment

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many peoplereceived a life sentence and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manypeople received a life sentence with a tariff of between 10 years to less than 15 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40–49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manypeople received a life sentence with a tariff of between 15 years to less than 20 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many peoplereceived a life sentence with a tariff of between 20 years to less than 25 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.

Lord Bellamy: By law, prisoners serving life and other indeterminate sentences must complete their tariff in custody and thereafter be released only when the Parole Board concludes that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public for them to remain confined to custody. The Government is committed to supporting prisoners to reduce their risk and so progress towards safe release, but the priority is always to protect the public.HL1687The following table shows the number of prisoners that received a life sentence and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 years of age and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002. Age at SentenceYear of sentenceUnder 1818 to 2021 to 2425 to 2930 to 3435 to 3940 to 4950 to 5960 to 6970 and over2002145588989594953310*200311557587868998344*200416559510586901142616*20053164109849399994690200622651011147875112306*200725759077584878537520083056958467531003619020092767737855457929802010184560785539592810*2011163459755242653613*2012154963736139753412*2013143756696751673513*2014214477744540855196201514405156534570311042016104564585046864316320171241596250556332952018295462575760744615*2019306051766457664185202022425345353745233*2021277767796249702315*HL1688The following table shows the number of prisoners that received a life sentence with a tariff of between 10 years to less than 15 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40–49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 years of age and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002. Age at SentenceYear of sentenceUnder 1818 to 2021 to 2425 to 2930 to 3435 to 3940 to 4950 to 5960 to 6970 and over200241938372726286302003420212124252440*2004623353133283566*20051026382924262417*020066233033272226113020071137392527102623**200821283625191838134020091432262020142464020101281210912158**2011129171612111478020128910191382012**2013711312125171140201471088891712*32015851081241273*20164121113971311302017535758873*20181668777975*20191293688114*4202058*65574*0202191171064113**HL1689The following table shows the number of prisoners that received a life sentence with a tariff of between 15 years to less than 20 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 years of age and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002. Age at SentenceYear of sentenceUnder 1818 to 2021 to 2425 to 2930 to 3435 to 3940 to 4950 to 5960 to 6970 and over2002041510101185*02003*3149161419*0020040112323121315**02005*617182212109*02006*141624810153*0200731920221215168*02008*1822191215175*0200951522201616269*02010*161928188218*02011316143014132211*02012616189197199402013*1023142015186*020145102419682113**20154141212138129*0201631017612927116*201752716141516145**201810211214142116144020191725112313171913**2020132010510611500202114361422211218850HL1690The following table shows the number of prisoners that received a life sentence with a tariff of between 20 years to less than 25 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002. Age at SentenceYear of sentenceUnder 1818 to 2021 to 2425 to 2930 to 3435 to 3940 to 4950 to 5960 to 6970 and over200200****30*020030*463***0020040*511*44**02005041046853*020060912117*9*002007077*4**6002008*515149514*002009*10101164104002010*11132012683002011071015891160020120161515106197*0201308141491179*02014*11141212101610**2015010101291383402016011241369147*0201707151511610700201801815151610116*0201901319181481310*02020*112316105133002021*11241891013*30Notes for all figures in the tables provided above:Due to rounding, the interquartile range may not equal the difference between the third and first quartiles.Figures do not include whole-life orders.Tariff length is the time between date of sentence and tariff expiry date.Numbers are subject to revision as more data become available.An asterisk (*) has been used to suppress values of one or two. This is to prevent the disclosure of individual information. Further disclosure control may be completed where this alone is not sufficient.The figures in these tables have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Data has been supplied for as many of the requested years as it is possible to provide within cost limits; earlier years may not be available due to changes in recording over time.

Life Imprisonment

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) lower quartile, (2) median, (3) upper quartile, and (4) interquartile range, of tariff lengths for people who received a life sentence in each year since 2002.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) lower quartile, (2) median, (3) upper quartile, and (4) interquartile range, of the number of months spent in custody by life sentence prisoners who werereleased in each year since 2002.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) lower quartile, (2) median, (3) upper quartile, and (4) interquartile range, of theage of people serving a life sentence at the point of release in each year since 2002.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) mean, and (2) median, number of months spent in custody beyond tariff for life sentenceprisoners at the point of release in each year since 2002.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of people serving a life sentence were released at their first Parole Board hearing in each year since 2002.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence with a tariff of 10 years or more in each year, by ethnicity.

Lord Bellamy: By law, prisoners serving life and other indeterminate sentences must complete their tariff in custody and thereafter be released only when the Parole Board concludes that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public for them to remain confined to custody. The Government is committed to supporting prisoners to reduce their risk and so progress towards safe release, but the priority is always to protect the public.HL1672The following table shows the (1) lower quartile, (2) median, (3) upper quartile, and (4) interquartile range, of tariff lengths in years for prisoners who received a life sentence in each year since 2002.Year of SentenceLower QuartileMedianUpper QuartileInterquartile Range2002491392003491392004511149200551115102006712181120071013177200811142092009121519720101317229201114172172012141824102013131723102014111723122015111723122016121722102017101722122018131823102019141823920201419241020211519249HL1673The following table shows the (1) lower quartile, (2) median, (3) upper quartile, and (4) interquartile range, of the number of months spent in custody by life sentence prisoners who were released in each year since 2002.Year of SentenceLower QuartileMedianUpper QuartileInterquartile Range2010133170240107201111915721394201212916624011120131361742431072014135171236101201514417622481201614917722980201715118024796201815819123577201917220026896202016419124076202116520526398Notes for above figures: Months spent in custody is calculated from date of sentence to release date. It does not take into consideration time spent in custody before sentence.HL1674 The following table shows the (1) lower quartile, (2) median, (3) upper quartile, and (4) interquartile range, of the age of prisoners serving a life sentence at the point of release in each year since 2002.Year of SentenceLower QuartileMedianUpper QuartileInterquartile Range201037455316201134425016201238455315201338465517201439475415201538465416201640475414201739475617201840495717201942515816202039485718202139495718Notes for above figures: Age at time of release does not reflect how long the offender had been in custody.HL1675The following table shows the (1) mean, and (2) median, number of months spent in custody beyond tariff for life sentence prisoners at the point of release in each year since 2002.Year of SentenceAverageMedian201067472011695120128160201380662014836520157664201679632017815520189069201996832020794420218346 HL1676The following table shows the proportion of prisoners serving a life sentence who were released at their first Parole Board hearing in each year since 2002. KnockbackOpenReleaseHearing Start Year%%%201028442820113137322012183943201317384520142628472015352044201636204420172527472018322246201937184520202819522021381943 HL1677The following table shows the number of 'unreleased IPP prisoners with a tariff length of 10 years or more, by ethnicity group, as at 30 June 2015 to 30 June 2021. 30/06/1530/06/1630/06/1730/06/1830/06/1930/06/2030/06/21Total94929087898476Asian/ Asian British6655566Black/ African/ Caribbean/ Black British26262525262622Mixed/ Multiple ethnic groups5555543White57555552534845Notes for above figures: Figures exclude prisoners recalled from an IPP sentenceNotes for all figures in the above tables:Due to rounding, the interquartile range may not equal the difference between the third and first quartiles.Tariff length is the time between date of sentence and tariff expiry date.Figures do not include whole-life orders.Numbers are subject to revision as more data become available.The figures in these tables have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Data has been supplied for as many of the requested years as it is possible to provide within cost limits; earlier years may not be available due to changes in recording over time.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have completed preparations for the Review Conference on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons that will take place in August this year; and who will represent the UK at that conference.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK looks forward to working with all states to strengthen the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) at the Tenth Review Conference in August. The FCDO is still finalising Ministerial attendance. The senior official who will represent the UK at the conference will be the UK's Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament.

China: Politics and Government

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current foreign and domestic policy of the People’s Republic of China.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Integrated Review sets out the UK's strategic approach to its international policy. It notes that China's growing economy, technological advancement and ambition to project influence will have profound implications worldwide. China's increasing international assertiveness and the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific will be among the most significant geopolitical and geoeconomic shifts in the 2020s.

Religious Freedom

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the outcomes of the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief on 5 to 6 July; and what steps they are taking, if any, to review their strategy on freedom of religion or belief following that Conference.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) hosted by the UK brought together governments, faith and belief leaders and civil society for discussions to address challenges to the enjoyment of the right to FoRB, and had positive outcomes. The Conference gave a platform to those persecuted for their religion or belief. Forty-seven governments, international organisations and other entities pledged action in support of FoRB. Thirty four countries joined the UK in signing up to a set of statements found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/international-ministerial-conference-on-freedom-of-religion-or-belief-2022-conference-statements. The Foreign Secretary outlined FCDO progress in implementing recommendations from the Bishop of Truro's report and noted the breadth of religion and belief groups that suffer from persecution. I [Lord Ahmad] announced new UK funding for support for defenders of FoRB, as well as funding and expertise for countries prepared to make legislative changes to protect FoRB.Following the Conference, the UK Government remains committed to defending FoRB for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities, and as other human rights are, FoRB will continue to be considered in relevant Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office external and internal thematic or country strategies.

Pakistan: Blasphemy

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistanregarding the cases of (1) Qaisar Ayub, and (2) Amoon Ayub, who have been imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and have made that clear to the Government of Pakistan. We are deeply concerned at the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan. We continue to press for speedy and fair trials for those accused of blasphemy, including cases such as Qaiser and Amoon Ayub, and urge the authorities to ensure the safety of those charged with blasphemy. Most recently, the British High Commissioner in Islamabad raised the misuse of the blasphemy laws in his meeting last month [in June] with Pakistan's new Human Rights Minister, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada.

Ministry of Defence

Nuclear Weapons

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the use of nuclear weapons; and what steps they are taking to ensure that they will not be used.

Baroness Goldie: Her Majesty's Government recognises the possible humanitarian and environmental consequences which could result from the use of nuclear weapons. We hope never to have to use them, but to deliver effective deterrence in all circumstances; and we remain fully committed to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.We take our responsibilities as a nuclear weapon state, including reducing the risk of nuclear conflict, very seriously. Our Trident missiles have not been targeted at any state since 1994 and our submarines are at several days' notice to fire. We will continue to work internationally to build trust and confidence between states; including through the P5 process which, under UK leadership, has made important progress on several issues of relevance to strategic risk reduction, including discussions on the concept of risk reduction, nuclear doctrines, and transparency.

Veterans: Civil Proceedings

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the adequacy of support available to veterans subject to ongoing historic investigations.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to supporting its people who act reasonably and in good faith in the course of their duties or work-related activities. All members of the Armed Forces, including the Reserve Forces, are entitled to legal support (regardless of the type of legal proceeding) at public expense where they face allegations that relate to actions taken during their employment or service, and where they were performing their duties. This is the case irrespective of the individual's length of service, the duration of any proceedings, and the length of time that has passed since the incident in question. The entitlement to legal support also applies to former service personnel, provided that the incident in question occurred while they were serving in the Armed Forces or employed by the MOD.The MOD has also developed a comprehensive package of welfare support for veterans, including the establishment of the Army Operational Legacy Branch (AOLB) in 2020. The full range of legal and pastoral support available to veterans is set out in the Written Ministerial Statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence on 13 April 2021.The MOD also works closely with the Office for Veterans' Affairs to ensure individuals can be signposted to the right additional support should they need it.

Department for Work and Pensions

Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011: Welfare Reform Act 2012

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the repeal of the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011 required a provision to amend the Welfare Reform Act 2012 to review the benefit cap every five years, rather than in each Parliament; and why this five year period began in March 2022.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: When the review was undertaken once in each Parliament this created potential uncertainty, given the possibility of an early election. This was dealt with by a specific reference to the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011.  The repeal of that Act meant that there would be no certainty as to the time period in which the duty had to be complied with and therefore, a significant risk of inadvertent non-compliance. For this reason, The Welfare Reform Act 2012 was amended to impose a statutory duty to carry out a review of the levels within a certain time frame. The new five-year period begins in March 2022 as this is when the amending legislation came into force.

Universal Credit and Jobseeker's Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements - Limitations) (Amendment) Regulations 2022

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to the Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee on 3 February, when they intend to complete their evaluation of the Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements – limitations) (Amendment) Regulations 2022; and whether the evaluation will take account of the Social Security Advisory Committee’s letter to the Secretary of State on 23 June.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: We have achieved our Way to Work target of moving 500,000 claimants into work by the end of June. The Department is looking at how it might be able to evaluate different aspects of the campaign. The analysis is in ongoing development and the advice from SSAC will be considered.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many households are currently affected by the under-occupancy charge with deductionsfor (1) one extra bedroom, or (2) more than one extra bedroom; and what assessment they have made of the impact of these deductions given the increased cost of living.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The removal of the spare room subsidy is an important tool to make better use of the existing social housing stock, enable mobility within the social rented sector and contain growing housing support expenditure. It also aligns the size criteria rules used in the private rented sector in the social sector.The policy allows for the provision of an additional bedroom to support disabled people and carers, the families of disabled children, foster carers, parents who adopt, parents of service personnel, and people who have suffered a bereavement. Additionally, those in receipt of pension age housing benefit are exempt.Those who need additional support with their housing costs can seek assistance from their local authority via the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHPs) scheme. Since 2011 the Government has provided almost £1.5 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.The number of Households affected by the removal of the spare room subsidy is set out in the table below.Households with a reduction due to the removal of the spare room subsidy, Great Britain, February 2022One bedroomTwo or more bedroomsReduction applied but bedroom information is unknown396,10084,900500Notes:i. Figures are from Stat-Xplore and are rounded to the nearest hundred.ii. Includes Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Housing Element. Universal Credit data for February is provisional and will be within two per cent of revised figures in future releases.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control: Housing and Roads

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what analysis, if any, of storm water from (1) the roofs of houses, and (2) highways,they have undertaken to establish whether such water can be discharged safely into (a) water courses, and (b) the sea.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In July 2021, the Environment Agency (EA) produced The State of the Environment: The Urban Environment report (www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-environment/the-state-of-the-environment-the-urban-environment), which includes an overview of the impact of urban and highways surface water run-off in England. Run off from roofs and roads has historically been considered suitable for discharge to watercourses with the overriding driver being efficient drainage to maintain highway safety, but increasingly the impact of this run-off is being better understood, particularly in inland watercourses. There is little risk to the sea because of ample dilution. National Highways continue to work with the EA to better understand pollutants in road runoff and effective treatment strategies. There is ongoing work to better understand the contribution from the Strategic Road Network (SRN) to micro plastic pollution and to build on earlier research to investigate the presence of other contaminates of potential concern not previously monitored.

Birds: Gun Sports

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the close season for woodcock.

Lord Benyon: The woodcock has been on the red list of Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK since 2015 due to a breeding range decline which is most likely to include disturbance and habitat loss because of land drainage and changes in woodland management. The woodcock will benefit from a number of woodland grant schemes funded by both the Countryside Stewardship scheme and the Nature for Climate Fund, some of which specifically target management for declining woodland birds. These grants include the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds which aim to restore vulnerable woodland habitats, improve biodiversity and conserve threatened species, and the England Woodland Creation Offer, which provides an additional nature recovery contribution for woodlands which restore nature and species.

Home Office

Borders: Personal Records

Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Digital Services at the Border programme will be completed; and how much that programme has cost.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Digital Services at the Border (DSAB) programme’s primary objective is to replace the Warnings Index (WI) and associated systems; this is complex, legacy Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).DSABs timeline for delivery is Quarter 4 of 2022/23.The programme has cost (June 22) £692.8m

Passports: EU Countries

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the requirement following UK's departure from the EU that passports must be stamped on a fresh page upon each entry and exit to the EU, what consideration have they given to increasing the number of pages in passports, particularly for airline flight crew; and what steps the Passport Office is taking to ensure that essential workers are supplied with new documents within 24 hours of request.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: There are currently no plans to increase pages in the British passport.Frequent travellers already have the option to apply for a 54-page passport.Her Majesty’s Passport Office prioritises applications which meet its urgent and compassionate criteria. The criteria include employees in the aviation industry who can evidence their need for a passport for work purposes.

Passports

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey have been informed by any (1) airports and (2) airlines, of any cases where staff shortages have been exacerbated by slow response times for replacing passports that have already been exhausted because they no longer have space for additional stamps.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Her Majesty’s Passport Office prioritises applications which meet its urgent and compassionate criteria. This criteria includes employees in the aviation industry who can evidence their need for a passport for work purposes.

Visas: Applications

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average waiting time for (1) all visa applications, and (2) visa applications from (a) Albania, (b) Bosnia and Herzegovina, (c) Kosovo, (d) Montenegro, (e) North Macedonia, and (f) Serbia.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Average waiting times are not published for a) Albania, (b) Bosnia and Herzegovina, (c) Kosovo, (d) Montenegro, (e) North Macedonia, and (f) Serbia. To capture the requested data would incur a disproportionate cost.The processing times for visas can be found on the GOV.uk webpage:Out of country Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)In country Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The Home Office’s performance against its service standard by nationality can be found in our transparency data, which is attached and at the following link: Visas and Citizenship data: Q1 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Transparency data (xlsx, 360.3KB)

Visas

Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the short-term study visa from six months to one year.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Under the new simplified immigration rules which came into effect on 1 December 2020, study for up to six months at an accredited institution is permitted under the visitor route.The Short-Term Student (English Language) route remains open for those wishing to study an English Language course for 6 -11 months. Any other study of longer than 6 months should be undertaken using the Student or Child Student routes. There are no plans to allow study of longer than six months on the visitor route.

Visas: South Africa

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current average processing time, from application to decision, for UK visas for South African citizens.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: UKVI does not publish average processing times by location, however, the average visa decision waiting times by category, which is regularly updated, can be found on the GOV.uk webpage: Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Visas: Applications

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of extended visa processing delays on the UK’s reputation as a place to do business.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office recognises there are ongoing delays to visa processing times, largely impacted by requirement to prioritise applications submitted for the Ukraine Schemes, and is working hard to reduce these as quickly as possible.The GOV.UK webpage is updated regularly with details of average visa decision waiting timesOut of country Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)In country Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Many business activities can be undertaken under our generous visitor route provisions, meaning non-visa nationals can undertake them without applying for entry clearance beforehand.

Asylum

Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 14 July (HL1286), when details of the new model for dispersal of asylum seekers will be published.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are committed to working collaboratively with Local Authorities on the redesign of the asylum dispersal system, to deliver a system which houses asylum seekers more fairly and equitably across England, Wales and Scotland. An informal consultation with partners shapes the redesign of the asylum dispersal system closed on 1 July. We have taken on board the representations made during the informal consultation period and are building the feedback into our plans for regional allocations. We will communicate these to Local Authority partners shortly.

Visas: Applications

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to reduce the processing time for visas to enter the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office is pursuing a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives which will speed up decision making, reduce the time people spend in the system and reduce the numbers who are awaiting an interview or decision. UKVI has recently reintroduced Priority Visa services for Visitor visa applications in the majority of overseas locations. UKVI continues to prioritise urgent and compassionate cases where notified.

Asylum: RAF Linton-on-Ouse

Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 4 July (HL1093), which statedthe that experience and lessons learnt from Napier Barracks would be applied to the provision of health services at the Linton-on-Ouse reception centre, what lessons were learnt.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The lessons learnt from the provision of healthcare at Napier were of the benefits to service users of having easy access to healthcare based on site. This model prevents strain on the provision of services and healthcare for local residents.The Home Office are working closely with NHS colleagues to design an appropriate healthcare model for the Linton-on-Ouse Accommodation Centre should a decision be taken to use the site. Furthermore, the Service Provider will be required to have a Partnership Manager on site who will oversee safeguarding and wellbeing, working in collaboration with their onsite Risk & Assurance Manager, who will be responsible for the risk and safety elements of welfare.

Asylum: RAF Linton-on-Ouse

Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Prime Minister on 2 May, what were the reasons why theproposed asylum reception centre at Linton-on-Ouse was “pivotal” to the plan to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: There is no link between the proposed non-detained site at Linton-on-Ouse and the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) with Rwanda.

Asylum: RAF Linton-on-Ouse

Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UNHCR has visited the proposed asylum reception centre at Linton-on-Ouse; and whether they will publish the report made following any such visit.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UNHCR have visited the proposed site on 19 May and advised they would be writing a report.

British Nationality: Assessments

Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 19 July (HL1506), in what month unannounced inspections of LitUK test centres will resume; why those inspections have not already been resumed; and what was the date of the last unannounced inspection of a LitUK test centre before inspections were suspended.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Unannounced audits of LitUK test centres are expected to resume in September 2022.Unannounced audits were suspended due to Covid restrictions and the last unannounced audits before suspension took place in February 2020.

Home Office: Email

Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British citizens have paid to send email enquiries via SITEL UK; and what is the cost to the applicant of sending such an email from within the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: SITEL UK delivered the UKVI overseas helpline services from March 2017 up until April 2021. Teleperformance now deliver this service on behalf of the Home Office.Customers who are looking to apply or have applied for visas from outside the UK who choose to make contact by e-mail will be charged £2.74 per e-mail enquiry. This includes the initial e-mail enquiry plus any follow-up e-mails to and from the contact centre relating to the same enquiry. E-mails are sent via a web message form found on the Contact UKVI pages on Gov.uk.The specific email form can be found here under the section ‘online’.Customers applying for visas from within the UK are not charged to send an email.We do not hold data on the nationality of people who have paid to send an email.

Refugees

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many refugees who had entered the UK through safe and legal routes were granted leave to remain (1) every year since 2015, and (2) broken down by route.

Lord Harrington of Watford: Information on safe and legal routes is available via the link below:Nationality and Borders Bill: Factsheet Safe and Legal Routes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)The Home Office publishes data on resettlement in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of refugees resettled by resettlement scheme are published in table Asy_D02 of the asylum and resettlement detailed datasets. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to Q1 2022.The resettlement data in Asy_D02 does not cover data relating to the individuals relocated under the Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) or Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) opened in January 2022, with the first eligible person relocated under the scheme on 6 January 2022.The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) launched on 1 April 2021, and provisional data show more than 7,000 people have been relocated under the scheme so far. Statistics on these schemes will be included in future editions of Immigration Statistics.Further details on the ACRS and ARAP can be found in the FACTSHEET: ACRS and other routes and Operation Warm Welcome: progress update.Data on the number of Family Reunion visas granted are published in table Fam_D01 of the asylum and resettlement detailed datasets. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to Q1 2022.The Home Office publishes data on the number of applications and grants of leave on the British National Overseas (BN(O)) route in the “How many people come to the UK each year (including visitors)?” topic and underlying datasets of the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’. Information on the number of visas granted under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme can be found in our published data on the GOV.UK webpage: Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Asy_D02 - Table  (xlsx, 8675.7KB)Family Reunion Visas - Table Fam_D01 (xlsx, 312.6KB)

Police and Crime Commissioners: Elections

Lord Trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what formal legal qualifications are required for any person seeking election as a Police and Crime Commissioner.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The criteria for those who wish to stand for, and hold the office of Police and Crime Commissioner, is set out in legislation under Section 64 to 69 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.Those who wish to stand as a candidate must be at least 18 years of age on the day of their nomination and registered to vote in the force area in which they wish to stand. They must also be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a qualifying EU citizen or EU citizen with retained rights. To be nominated as a candidate, candidates must obtain 100 nominations and tender a deposit of £5,000. Individuals are not required to have any formal legal qualifications or other qualifications.

Hatun Tash

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 13 July (HL1352), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, what plans theyhave, if any, to instigate an inquiry into (1) the arrest of Miss Hatun Tash at Speakers' Corner on 26 June and her subsequent detention, strip search and questioning at 4am on 27 June, and (2) the actions of the police towards other individuals present at Speakers' Corner (a) before, and (b) during, Miss Tash's arrest.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Ministers are unable to intervene in individual cases and complaints against the police.If an individual is unhappy with the decisions made by the police, they have the option of submitting a complaint to the relevant police force. Police force websites include information about how to complain. A complaint can also be made via an online form available on the website of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) at: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/complaints-and-appeals/make-complaint.A short guide to the police complaints system is also available on the IOPC’s website and is attached: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Documents/Complaint_forms/IOPC_A_guide_to_complaint_system_2020.pdfIOPC Police complaints (pdf, 261.3KB)

Visas: Agriculture

The Earl of Leicester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many short-term visas were granted for people working in the farming sector in (1) January, (2) February, and (3) March.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The most recent data available on the seasonal worker visa scheme is released quarterly and contained within published tables at: (entry clearance detailed dataset Vis_D02 - attached). It is worth noting that while most short-term jobs in the agriculture sector are under the seasonal worker visa, a small number may be on other visa types and not all seasonal worker visa jobs will relate to farming. entry clearance detailed datasets (xlsx, 2200.5KB)

Home Office: Staff

Baroness Mobarik: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff have been employed by the Home Office for each year since 2009.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The number of staff employed by the Home Office is published in our annual reports.2008/0931892009/1037192010/1133502011/1211141*Machine of Government change increase2012/13124562013/1426328*Machine of Government change increase2014/15315562015/16310342016/17321732017/18317902018/19349822019/20336282020/21344692021/2235781*Based on headcount (not full-time equivalent). Include permanent employees Sources - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accountshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-home-office-departmental-report-2009

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Private Rented Housing

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the stock of private homes available to rent following changes to regulations regarding buy-to-let accommodation.

Lord Harrington of Watford: Since 2010, there have been a range of policy changes affecting private landlords. These include tax changes for buy-to-let landlords, changes to the Stamp Duty Land Tax, tightening lending criteria on buy-to-let mortgages and the growing role of the build-to-rent sector.The Private Rented Sector remains an important part of the housing market, with 4.4 million households currently in the Private Rented Sector. The proportion of PRS households has remained relatively stable for nearly a decade, as evidenced through the English Housing Survey. According to the English Private Landlord Survey (2021) over half (57%) of landlords had a buy-to-let mortgage, representing 68% of tenancies, indicating that buy-to-let landlords continue to invest.

Private Rented Housing: Energy Bills Rebate

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many private renters will not receive the one-off £150 energy rebate payment because the rebate money is paid directly to their landlordand not to the tenant.

Lord Harrington of Watford: Councils are expected to pay the council tax rebate to the occupants of an eligible property, not the landlord. Where a landlord of an eligible property usually pays the council tax as part of the rental agreement, the Government has asked councils to agree a payment method directly with the tenant.

Private Rented Housing: Rents

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimatethey have made of the number of private renters who pay (1) energy bills, and (2) council tax, as part of their rent.

Lord Harrington of Watford: The English Housing Survey provides information on the number of private renting households who pay energy bills or council tax as part of their rent. In 2021, 162,000 households, or 3.7% of private renting households, pay their electricity bills as part of their rent; 131,000 households (3%) pay their gas bills as part of their rent; and 120,000 households (2.8%) have their council tax included as part of their rent.

Treasury

Corporation Tax

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have tosuspend corporate income tax for a limited period of time.

Baroness Penn: The Government is not currently planning to suspend Corporation Tax. Any future changes to Corporation Tax will be set out to Parliament in the usual way.

Stamp Duty Reserve Tax

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to remove stamp duty on purchases of (1) shares in investment trusts, (2) real estate investment trusts, and (3) venture capital trusts.

Baroness Penn: The Government has no current plans to remove stamp duty on purchases of shares in investment trusts, real estate investment trusts, and venture capital trusts, but it keeps all taxes under review. Moreover, and as originally announced at Budget 2020, the Government is undertaking a review of the UK’s Funds Regime. This covers both tax and relevant areas of regulation and is considering reforms which hold the potential to enhance the UK’s attractiveness as a location for asset management and for funds in particular. As part of this review, the Government carried out a ‘Call for Input’ in 2021. The Government’s response to the Call for Input, which was published on 10 February 2022, set out a plan for further work, and can be found on the gov.uk website.

Small Businesses: VAT

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to introduce VAT relief for small businesses until the end of the tax year.

Baroness Penn: The UK’s VAT registration threshold is set at £85,000, which is the highest in the OECD and as compared to EU Member States. This keeps the majority of UK businesses out of VAT altogether. Whilst the Government keeps all taxes under review, it was announced at Budget 2021 that the VAT threshold will be maintained at its current level of £85,000 until 31 March 2024.

Women and Equalities

Vacancies: Advertising

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have torequire salaries to be published on job advertisements.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: There is growing evidence to show that when salary information is not transparent, it has an impact on how people, particularly women and those from ethnic minorities, negotiate pay. This can ultimately result in lower starting salaries and smaller pay rises.On International Women’s Day this year, we called on all employers to provide salary information in all of their job adverts, and to stop asking about previous salary during recruitment.In order to encourage and assist employers in taking these steps, we will build the evidence base on the impact of transparency, through a pilot study with businesses. We will also work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.